Not like that
by Cards
Summary: Spot All grown up at the ripe age of 20 with a kid and a wife, and begining to take hold of organized crime
1. Chapter 1

Spot Conlon held the gun level to his victim's head. "Now I'll give you one last chance." He said calmly cocking the hammer.

"I'll never talk" The overweight dock worker said. "Ain't no way to get me to speak."

Spot Conlon smiled, he was an extremely pretty boy. In fact he looked very odd in the dingy warehouse surrounded by brutes. He was a slim slightly muscular man, he didn't look like he held much power. But he did. His eyes were examining the man before him, he was trying to determine how to best break him. He knew everything about the man. He knew where his children lived and how his wife was pregnant. He knew that the man was trying to put his oldest son through college, and that the boy was smart.

But Spot Conlon wasn't an asshole. He didn't ever go after a man's family. He was in a quarrel with this man's boss and not even him. "How's your son doing? He's going somewhere out west for college, correct?" Spot asked calmly.

The man sized up Spot. "Yes" He said cautiously. He hadn't known that the boy would know this. "He's about your age."

"I commend him for making something of himself." Spot said, not for a second lowering the gun, or his eyes. "Hopefully he'll get his doctorate and come back to the neighborhood. We need more bright doctors." He smiled slightly. "Pity if he had to drop out to support your family."

Some lesser men might have said something about why that would happen, or threaten the man's youngest daughter, saying they knew a man who liked little girls. Spot Conlon didn't need that.

"He stays on the docks. During one to two he visits his mistress she's at"

"I know where she is." Spot smiled coldly. "write your wife a letter, tell her where to contact me, should anything happen to you." He said, un-cocking the gun and relaxing. "I want your son to go through medical school."

He walked out the door, his brutes letting the frightened man go to check on his family. He would do as Spot had requested. For one thing, the boy was honest to a fault. And he had an uncanny sense of what to do, if he thought that someone's life was in danger, he was normally right.

The man was dead the next day from the leader who he'd ratted out to the burgeoning mobster Sean "Spot" Conlon.

Spot had returned home to see his two year old son running to him, he smiled the boy's light blonde hair sparkled in the sun as he picked the boy up and spun him around. "Hey Leo!" He smiled kissing the boy soundly on the forehead. He looked over the boys golden crown to see his wife standing and raising an eyebrow.

"What did you do today sweetie?" She asked smiling at him as he hefted Leo up onto his shoulders.

"Nothing much" He smiled, the two were only a few feet apart, but in reality miles separated them. Leo started getting squirmy on his papa's shoulders and Spot obligingly let him down. The small boy with Spot's own eyes glared at both his parents. He was small but bright.

"What happened?" He asked both of them, his tiny hands on his hips mimicking his mother when she got impatient, his stance was hers' but his facial expression was all his father's.

"Nothing sweetie" Katherine smiled "Come on Leo, Sean" she grinned offering her hand out to her son, Her husband took it instead. She looked up and laughed as he spun her around.

"I can bring down Fabrizzio" He smiled. "I got the loose end" He kissed her. Leo wrinkled his nose.

"Eww! Mama!" He said covering his eyes.

Katherine laughed looking up at her husband. "Oh?" She smiled excitedly, "This means that all my hard work has paid off?"

"Of course" He smiled. "Leo, lets go eat Dinner" He smiled at his son, who beamed up at him.

"What are you two talking about?" He pouted as he allowed himself to be served food and diligently picked at it.

"Work" Sean smiled. 

"And we don't talk work at the table" Katherine said definitively as she ladled another serving of vegetables onto both of the men in her life's plates.

"Mama! I hate vegetables!"

"Aww come on Kathy!" Sean sighed. "I work hard! I hate..." On glance from Katherine's eyes shut them both up.

Dinner was filled with contented eating and Leo was sent to his room some time shortly after. Katherine sighed, picking up the plates and moving to the sink. Sean stood up standing behind her, his hands lightly resting on her hips as she started washing.

Katherine gulped back the desire to turn around and throw her arms around him and allow Sean to cart her off to their bedroom. She had work to do, but it was awfully hard to think about work with her husband trying so hard to get her into bed with him.

"Cardsy" He smiled using her nickname from their youth, and also what she was known as in professional circles now.

"Spot" She smiled relaxing into his touch like she had when they were young lovers. Back when she hadn't ever worried about things like dirty dishes or the mob, or if her son was in danger. He started kissing up her neck lightly. "Hmm you're not playing fair" She whispered, letting her eyelids flutter shut.

"We've got Fabrizzio, if I can pull this off we can hire maids to do all your work for you." He whispered. "If not, I don't want my last night to have been wasted watching you do housework."

Katherine smiled. "You want me and Leo to take a vacation to visit David?" She asked.

"Tomarrow" He whispered against the soft sensitive skin behind her ear, pulling her close and spinning her around. "Tomarrow"

"You are undeniable persuasive" Katherine smiled.

Disclaimer: I own Leo, Cards/Katherine and random people who will pop up.

Author's notes: I kinda like the idea of daddy!Spot. And I totally have a reasoning for using my personal character instead of Blackjack, who in all honesty I like more. And thats because the Spot i put Blackjack with is different from this one. It wouldn't work with the PLOT! Yes I have a basic plot. So um review if you like. Review if you think it is a heinous self insert... okay some of it is fairly gratuity's. But I'm having fun with NOT torturing my fave Characters!


	2. Chapter 2

Sean Conlon looked over at his wife, it was an early morning in Brooklyn. He could hear the dock workers and the store owners talking outside of the window. He stroked Katherine's face, not wanting the moment to end. He wanted to just sit and watch her, Leo was still asleep he hoped.

"Kathy" He whispered stroking her lips "Honey, wake up" Her deep blue eyes opened.

"Hey you" She smiled, "you gunna leave now?"

"You guys should get gone soon." He said stroking up her bare arm as he smiled kissing her , making it well known he didn't want her to go. Katherine laughed kissing him back and running a hand through his hair. They were kids again as Spot delayed leaving, and Cards forgot her life around her.

There was a sharp rapping on the door. Spot pulled away from Cards, both of them suddenly terrified. "Leo" Cards said pulling away, wrapping a sheet around herself she grabbed a gun as she ran to their son's room. Spot pulled on clothing, grabbing a gun he moved to the door, knowing Cards would take care of their son.

Carefully, gun in hand he walked in hearing a wailing with the knocking. Spot stood back as he opened the door. A woman holding a five year old girl was crying against the door frame.

"They killed him!" She yelled. "He said to come to you" Cards stood in the back of the Kitchen, terrified as she held their son. A gun in one hand, the other holding him close. She watched the sobbing woman who could in only a few hours be her. Spot held her, as the letter he had told the man to write was presented to him.

"Come here" Cards said, as she pulled the sheet around her tighter. "We'll help you."

"He said you were a good man" The woman wailed. Leo sat, his eyes open wide. This hadn't been the first time in his young life that he'd been woken up to his mother carrying a gun and a sobbing woman in the kitchen. He stood by his mother, his eyes identical to his father's, cold, worried, yet distant.

Spot stood by "Ma'am we'll help you as much as we can."

"My son! He'll have to leave college"

"No he won't. As long as he promises to come back to the neighborhood I can pay for his education." Spot said.

Cards looked over at him, she had been worrying about paying for Leo's education, let alone some strangers. Then she remembered. If Spot got Fabrizzio then she would only have to worry about their safety no more money worries.

Spot was calming the hysterical woman down, trying to make sure she left the apartment. Eventually she was calmed down, and Spot got her out of the house.

"Oh god" Cards gulped hugging him, her grip tight around his neck, "Please don't leave me" She whispered. Leo looked up at his parents. He didn't know why they were together, or that there was anything worrying about a trip to Uncle David's. Sometimes when they would come back his dad looked hurt, bruised up or was triumphant. But he was always glad to see his son. Hugging him before his mom.

"Get dressed" Spot said dismissively, unable to think about what might happen. Cards pulled away immediately, nodding crisply.

Spot looked down at Leo, and bent down "You're gunna go visit Uncle David, mkay?" He asked. "I want you to make sure you take care of your mom while your there. You're in charge" he said kneeling down and hugging his son tightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You're my world Leo, you know that right?"

"Daddy?" Leo asked softly "whats wrong?"

"Nothing Leo, nothing. I just love you."

"And mommy, right?" Leo asked, his wide blue eyes asking for honesty.

"Your mommy is very special to me." He whispered. "Go get dressed, I love you."

"Okay daddy." Leo ran off to his room where his mother was waiting to help him get dressed.

Spot surveyed the apartment, his hand still on his gun. He realized he'd just talked and hugged his son while holding a loaded gun. Spot looked down at the gun in his hand and moved into the room with his son and wife.

"Sean" Katherine smiled as Leo complained about having to wear shoes. "Oh Leo, please. You know David hates when we're late!" She sighed. Spot looked over at the bedside table, Cards' gun was resting on it.

"Kathy, we need to have a talk when you guys get back from David's." He said looking back at his wife, whose long hair had been pulled back into a braid.

Katherine smiled as she looked over at him "I'll miss you" she said sadly as she finished putting Leo's shoes on. "Be safe" she whispered.

"Get going" He smiled as the two left. Cards leaving her gun. They moved quickly through the crowded streets, the dishes from the night before still sitting out on the sink.

Spot stood, getting ready to leave. He had hours before he needed to go, but he didn't want to. He closed his eyes, praying to a god he was unsure would listen to a killer. He prayed not on behalf of himself, or even his wife. But for their son. He wanted to stay a father, not a distant memory that Cards would try and explain to their son. Spot smiled, he didn't think she could describe him. He was too amazing.

Cards was hurrying her son to Manhattan where David was. She knocked on his door rapidly "David! Come one! Let me in" She said.

Jack Kelly stood in the door. "Hey Cards" he smiled, Cards hugged him tightly "Hey, whats up?" He hugged her back, worried. "Hey Leo whats up?"

"Daddy said I'm in charge" Leo said proudly. Little kids loved Jack Kelly, and Leo was no exception, much to Spot's annoyance.

"Did he now, well come on inside Mr. In Charge." Jack grinned as he held Cards still.

Author's notes: Question: should next chapter be the hit on Fabrizzio? Or just after? And this is turning into a continuation of the world in "The thing that makes her cry" so its the same characterization of Cards and Spot. And just one more thing. Leo is adorable. In case I haven't shown that. He totally is. He's like cute like woah.


	3. Chapter 3

Katherine stood in front of David's window holding a cup of warm coffee. David walked out and smiled seeing her there.

"You know, no one thought you two would get together. And don't think that Race didn't drag all of us out to the wedding just because he wanted us to pay up." David smiled, putting an arm around Katherine and holding her close. "We were all happy for you." He smiled.

Katherine turned and hugged him, he wasn't as easy to hug as Jack was. David was more bony even at the ripe old age of twenty. He laughed. "You married Spot Conlon, he isn't gunna be taken down by the likes of Fabrizzio!" David laughed. "Nah, it'll be old age that takes your husband down. And I don't fancy the fight that his souls gunna give up."

Katherine blinked. "I just know how badly it could go" She whispered. "I mean David, I've shot people. I've even shot people in front of Leo!" She said "I know that its not personal. Spot's different in that he cares about the people whose lives are affected by him. Yesterday we had a newly made widow come screaming at us. I could be that woman in a few hours" She said. "I know the deals done by now. But he might not come back home for a few weeks to make sure we're safe."

David sighed. He looked at Katherine, she wasn't the same Cards that he'd met weeks after the strike. This was a woman who'd had a child and killed. Of a mob bosses wife because he knew that there was no way in hell or anything on gods earth that would stop Spot Conlon from returning to his son. Spot may have had vices, but David feared for the person who tried to hurt Leo.

Katherine smiled up at David, her hands gripping the coffee cup tighter. "You'll tell me right, when you find out what happened. From the paper?" David grinned.

"Come on, me and Jack want this place to ourselves as soon as possible."

"Why, you don't like sharing with me and Leo?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "Jack don't seem to mind having Leo around to idolize him" She said.

"Thats part of the problem" David grinned as he left for his job at the paper.

Katherine stood by the window staring out at the world surrounding her.

Fourteen hours earlier Spot was standing inside a whore house, he shook his head. Ironically he owned this place. A gun with five bullets instead of the normal six was in his hand, there was no chance he would need six, bringing six would only make him sloppy. As he stood inside he wondered, how did the man get in to see a woman here every other day and it not get reported to him.

Cards did the books on this place, she would have told him if they were coming up short, but bribes wouldn't be reported. He sighed, Spot liked to spend as little time in the whore houses he owned, he liked to think about them even less. Just because it made him money he would do this. But he didn't agree with the idea. He watched carefully as Fabrizzio came in, he'd already paid the woman he saw to not be in her room. The room was amazing as it gave a good view of the world around, and the desk. This made Spot wonder even more why this room. If he could see out then why couldn't someone see in. Although he supposed, a crime lord having an affair with a whore would need to see where everyone else was.

He sat on the bed waiting for Fabrizzio to open the door, which he of course did, and it was quick. He was dead and Spot was downstairs yelling at the Madam about taking bribes. As he finished, using his gun as a subtle reminder of his power he felt arms around his waist.

"Hmmm Mr. Conlon" A raspy voice said. "How are you to take an interest in our little establishment.

"I'm married, I own this place, get off of me" He said, putting the gun on the woman's hands.

"All right all right," the woman said rolling her eyes, her face was painted thick with makeup and Spot wondered if there were any prettier girls who would turn to whoring. "No need to get nasty about it" She pouted. "Your wife leaving you dry?" she said.

"Get away" Spot said pushing her away. "I mean it" He left, moving to Fabrizzio's place, his thugs joining him.

David reported this as Jack supplemented during dinner.

"Gee Cards, its great having you cooking for us" Jack grinned.

"Glad to help, and to make sure you boys are eating well. Leo eat your vegetables." She said out of habit as Leo picked at the green stuff.

"I was gunna mama, you don't gotta be mean" He muttered into his food.

Jack smiled taking an extra portion of the vegetables she made, Leo looked up seeing that he eagerly ate his own.

Katherine laughed and David smiled over at her. "So feel better?" He asked softly.

"He's not dead yet." She agreed.

"Daddy's never gunna die." Leo said, his young voice full of certainty "he's my daddy."

Jack laughed "You're right about that, no thing's gunna take Spot Conlon down." He looked over at Katherine. "He'll come back when its safe, you know that. He always does."

David grinned "So Leo, when you gunna go to school?"

"Not gunna. My daddy didn't so I ain't gunna."

Katherine sighed "He'll start when he's five, three more years to get some sense into him."

David laughed "He's a lot like Les was."

"How is Les anyhow?"

"He joined the army, he's out training now" Jack answered. "We got a letter from him last week." He smiled widely for the little brother he's seemed to have gotten.

David nodded "We're really proud of him." They all sat eating their meal in contented silence as there was a knock on the door.

Katherine's eyes opened wide, David went to the door and Jack grabbed Leo. Everyone except the small boy knew of the danger they were in at that very moment. David relaxed as he let Spot in. Leo wrestled free from Jack's hold and ran to his father.

"Daddy!" He grinned hugging the man, not noticing the blood on his shirt. "I missed you!" Spot kissed his son's head and gulped back tears. He held the little boy closer to him.

"Missed you too Leo" He gulped "missed you too my little man" He said kneeling down so he could put Leo on the ground, he moved forward hugging him desperately.

"Whats wrong?" Leo asked, his voice muffled against his father's chest.

"Nothing, I'm back Leo. And we're all safe."

Leo nodded, secure in the feeling that his father said so.

Katherine stood back between Jack and David, both hand an arm around her. She looked grateful that her husband was safe, she smiled at the scene in front of her. Leo ran back to her once Spot let him go.

"What happened?" Katherine asked as he looked up at her, "You got him, what happened after?" She whispered.

"They changed allegiance." He whispered softly looking at her, "We got them." Leo stood next to his father holding onto his leg as he saw His mother smile.

"We got them?" She asked softly. "We really got them?"

"Yeah." Spot smiled. He saw Jack and David. "How do you two feel like getting an exclusive on it?" He asked excitedly like when he was a kid, "Hidden resources of course."

"Heck yeah!" Jack said hugging his old friend Spot laughed hugging him back.

"I want you to paint me like a good guy" He said, "seriously."

Jack nodded "Of course, nothing but the best for Spot Conlon."

Author's notes: Mix of the two. Tell me what you think. As Rusty pointed out: Sean and Katherine's marriage is far from perfect. But you find out why they got married, and they aren't gunna split up or anything.

Also, its pure coincidence that there are Leo and Fabrizzio. I just made up an appropriate male name. And Leonardo sounds like something Spot would name his kid. If I haven't made it clear, Spot is crazy about his son and would most likely kill in horrible ways anyone who threatened him. Slightly longer chapter then before, hopefully I'll get the next one out in reasonable time too.


	4. Chapter 4

They moved into a new apartment, Spot was the only one who went back to the old one, picking up things they needed from their old life. Their new place was bigger, an entire floor, Katherine liked it. She had a room where she could be alone, but she rarely was, all of a sudden Spot's workers wives were trying to gain her favor. She wasn't interested in the world of the mob outside of her work. She liked reading on everyone, compiling all the evidence gathered from Spot's various "birdies" as he still called his spies.

These women were trying to gain her favor for their husbands. They came in wearing the highest fashions, trying to be cute with Leo, pinching his cheeks and forcing her to have tea.

"Sean" She sighed. "All I want is to be alone, raise Leo. Do my job. These women are insane!"

"Kathy" Sean turned to look at her gently kissing her. "Women are full of gossip you know that."

"Sean, I don't want to be forced into being a socialite. I've given you everything. But I won't give you that" Katherine said. "And that's that."

Two days later she was in a new dress, uncomfortably sipping tea as she listened to the gossip of the women, talking about hats and their husbands. Leo was bored and making it known to her. His mother normally had no problem letting him run around and would often join him in games of tag around their old apartment. But now he had to stay still while she ate snacks and exchanged meaningless drivel with her new "friends".

A week later they were back to their old routine. Katherine had told Sean of how much Leo hated having to wait around. She waited in their bedroom, sitting on the bed like she had the first night they'd been together, her knees drawn up to her chest. Her long hair was pulled back and she had waited for Sean.

Sean came in, "Hey" He said softly leaning in and tipping his wife's face up so he could kiss her. "How was Leo?" He asked.

"good, he misses seeing you" She whispered.

"God I miss seeing him too" He sighed sitting next to his wife. "He's amazing isn't he?"

"Yeah" Cards smiled sitting up and leaning her head on Spot's shoulder. "He is."

"Why wait up for me?" Spot had been getting in later and later. He hadn't made it home for dinner in three days.

"You said we had to talk?" She asked softly.

"Oh yeah" He said. "We gotta stop carrying gun's around Leo."

"Yeah." Cards sighed as she felt Spot's hand undoing her hair. "So whats new?"

"Mush came out for a visit. He's gunna stop by tomorrow." Spot said as he ran his fingers through his wife's hair gently untangling it.

"Mush never liked you" She said softly turning to him.

"Mush always liked you" He grinned kissing her gently. "He thought you were a sweetie."

"So why is he visiting?" Cards asked.

"He wants to see Leo." Spot smiled "of course."

"I hope we aren't spoiling him" Cards said.

"I don't think we can spoil him. Jack, David, Mush, they might, but they're his uncles. They got a right to wanna spoil him." Spot said kissing the curve of her jaw lightly.

"How come none of our friends is married?" Cards asked laughing lightly.

"Well, Jack and David's got each other" He said. "Race just don't want to. Bums and Magic got hitched few months after us."

"We didn't go to their wedding?" Cards asked leaning against her husband.

"It was a small ceremony."

"You went without me?" Cards asked turning around sharply.

"Magic wanted me to give her away."

"Why couldn't I go?" She asked.

"You midear were heavily pregnant with our son, and told me to do something inappropriate when I told you about it." He kissed her. "Magic thought it was something she'd done. You worked her up into a screaming match in Spanish yelling at me about how I was ashamed of her. On her wedding day no less." He smiled.

"I should try and get in contact with her." Cards said softly.

"Why?"

"I realized how much I like having women to talk to. But not those ones. Someone I can relax with and Leo can play with."

"Magic would like that" He whispered softly.

If Cards was his personality foil Magic was him in a female form. Both women had never gotten to know each other, both being very different parts of his life. Even early on Cards had been his domestic half, she would grab him his papes if he was late, sometimes even swallowing the cost of the papers. She took care of him when they were kids, she helped him with the impossibility of the warehouse he converted into a boarding house. Magic was there for him sexually. She was like him. She liked sex and wasn't ashamed of it. Cards and her had never gotten along. And Bumlets had never really trusted Spot, even after he got married and fully supported Magic's relationship with Bumlets.

Now Spot was quiet, he answered back gently "God, I haven't seen her in months."

Cards gulped. It was always hard for her to hear about Magic. Even though she trusted Spot, and knew Magic was head over heels in love with Bumlets. Magic was everything she had never been. Magic was sexual even when she'd just woken up stretching her arms, pulling the sheets around her as she dressed herself beneath them. Cards had watched her when they were younger, jealous because she couldn't do that. She couldn't control Spot with looks and sidelong glances.

She still couldn't. She relaxed into Spot's touch as she felt him undressing her. She turned her face to him. "Do you regret marrying me?" She asked, her throat tight.

"God no Kathy" He whispered hugging her tightly. "You think I could have done all this with out you? You think I could keep track of the books, you think I could do anything with out you?"

Katherine nodded falling back onto the bed lightly holding her husband to her, he looked up at her. "You're the one who lost out." He whispered, supporting his weight on his arms looking down from above her. "You shoulda got so much more then me." He stroked her hair away from her face. He paused looking down at her. She really did deserve more then a man like him. He couldn't love her like she should have been loved, he loved her, that was true. He wouldn't ever leave her, he couldn't imagine his life with out her. But he couldn't love her in the head over heels passionate risk everything for them way that she deserved.

Katherine gulped. "God Sean I've been so worried." She whispered, "every time you miss dinner, are you seeing someone else. Or are you dead" She gulped.

"Nevah." He whispered. His father had been killed leaving his mistress' house. The double shock had killed his mother, she'd hung herself two days after hearing the news from the other woman. "I couldn't leave Leo" He said softly. "You know that."

Author's notes: Woot! New chapter. Ain't you all so proud of me? Well shit, I'm gunna be late to work... Well new chapter worth it. Not a lot of action in this, mainly about thoughts and explaining their relationship. Its not what so many people think of as perfect but works for them.


	5. Chapter 5

Micheal Myers was a very sweet guy. He was the kind of guy who kept in touch with all his friends, not only the ones who would benefit his career. He even would help James Ballet pay his rent with out making James feel that he was abusing his friendship or taking charity.

He wasn't really one for a family so he always tried to visit Katherine and Sean and of course Leo. During these visits he would seem to fall off the face of the earth and he enjoyed that as well. He was becoming famous enough to be hounded by people on the street and the papers would follow him around. The time he would spend in the Conlon's Brooklyn house was quiet and safe ironically.

Leo had a soft spot for his Uncle Mush, who was quieter then his other Uncles. Jack and David were always together and Uncle Jack was loud and fun. Uncle David seemed more like his mother, yelling good naturedly at both Uncle Jack and Leo himself. Uncle Racetrack was always loud, getting down on the floor and playing games of Jaxs with Leo while he talked to his mother in the next room. Uncle Blink was tired when ever he came over, almost as if he only dragged himself down to read stories to Leo and fall asleep before he really got into it. But Uncle Mush was quiet and fun, he seemed to know the balance and also appreciated the food Leo's mama served and the companionship. He would stay for longer periods of time then the other Uncles.

Mush was in pictures, he was in a lot of them, the ones shown at the real movie houses, not the nickelodeons or flickers. But ones with a plot and everything, he was always the honest young man who did good. Mush had too pretty a face to be a bad guy in the silent films.

Right now Mush was quietly colouring with Leo while he talked with Cards.

"Look you could get a maid" He said softly as Cards started scrubbing at the sink.

"I know, and I could get a cook and a nanny, but it just doesn't seem worth it."

"Cards, cleaning hurts your hands" Mush whispered.

"Yeah mommy it makes you tired." Leo added cheerfully.

Cards smiled as she leaned over kissing her son's crown and sliding into the table with the two of them. "So you both think I should get a maid?" She asked sighing.

"Yeah!" Leo exclaimed scribbling with his wax crayons.

"Cards, your always exhausted." Mush said. "I don't see you too often and I see it. You look as tired as Blink."

"I'll talk to Sean about it" She said "So how is Blink, he hasn't been around lately" Katherine said looking at her son's scribbling with pride.

"He's not able to pay the rent" Mush said, "He doesn't want charity from any of us. He's stopped seeing me too."

Cards looked up, "You two aren't?" She left the question unsaid, for she wasn't sure how to explain what it was that Jack and David did or even what it was called. She knew they weren't living together for just convenience or because one had never found the right girl. Katherine wasn't a fool she knew all the things they weren't but not one word for what they were.

"We was" Micheal said softly "We were, then I got money."

"What is it they did in the Manhattan Lodging house" Cards asked laughing lightly.

"It was just me and Blink at first, then Jack and David just, happened." Neither mentioned Specs and Dutchy who had just always been together and it had never seemed right when they weren't.

Leo looked up "Uncle Blink is never around" He announced "I miss him. I didn't do nothing bad right?" He looked to his mother for confermation of this fact.

"Oh no, it wasn't nothing you did" Cards laughed. "Uncle Blink is just tierd" She settled on as an answer.

"Then he should get a nap" Leo announced like it was the final word on the matter and turned his concentration back onto his paper.

"Have you tried offering him a job?" Mush asked softly.

"About a million times. He even refused to be Leo's godfather because he didn't want to worry about not showing up to things" She sighed. "Could you get him a job on the studio?"

"I can try, but he doesn't want to take anything I give him. He wants everything from his own merit."

"Hey Myers" Sean smiled coming in the door kissing his son's head "Nice picture" He smiled crouching down next to Leo watching him.

"Hey Spotty Boy" Micheal smiled good naturedly. "Your wife and i were just talking about James Ballet."

"Blink yeah, he ain't been around much." Sean nodded only half paying attention as he quietly asked Leo to describe the picture. Leo answered in the same way, all his concentration on the picture of their old apartment in front of him.

"I think he got evicted a while back" Micheal said. "I stopped by his apartment before coming here.

"I'll find him" Spot said standing up and kissing his wife lightly Cards looked up at him, her eyes asking questions. Obviously having received an answer she stood up "Come on Leo" she held out her hand and Leo took it easily following her back to his room.

Micheal looked up "I didn't come to talk to you" He said almost sharply. "And I don't need you to swoop in and fix everything."

"James is our friend too. We're worried." He said turning to Micheal. "Look I don't know what your problem is."

"Katherine is miserable" Micheal said quickly. "Point blank miserable."

"What do you mean?" Sean looked up.

"God, you can't be that blind. This is just like seeing you guys at 15! She does everything and you pretty much ignore her. Why the hell did you marry her?"

"You know why." Sean said, his eyes cold. "Look me and Kathy may not be perfect, but we sure as hell aren't miserable."

"Leo is the only thing holding you together." Micheal said, "really Spot, do you think we're all so blind. Everyone knows the only reason you come home at all is to see your son before he goes to bed!"

"Kathy knows exactly how I feel about her!"

"What, that you care about her because she has your son?"

"The only reason I'm in this stupid fucked up business is because of her!" Sean yelled. He bit his lip and calmed down. "You don't know everything about us Micheal."

"Then explain it to me" He said, Micheal's normally pleasant face was cold with anger. "Now."

"When we were back at the Lodging house she got roughed up pretty bad by some thugs, the guys Race used to work for."

"was she pregnant?" Micheal asked.

"Nah it was before all that" Spot muttered "but she basically told me that it wasn't gunna stop. They was gunna keep going after the people who I cared about until I did something. I may not have been in Love with her then, but they knew the first person to go after was her. They knew that if she was hurt I'd change my mind and they knew it before I did." Spot said. "Look, like I said me and Cards ain't perfect, and yes Leo is the only thing holding us together as husband and wife most of the time, but Cards is my partner, I ain't got nothing with out her. Thats how its always been. I know you all think I'm a horrible husband, and that Cards is some sort of martyr but thats how we are."

Mush shook his head "but god man, can't you love her right?"

"What is that?" Spot asked. "Cards said she was afraid of me leaving her, god every day before I walk into our building I steady myself for the fact that I could open the door and see her and Leo gone."

"You'd find them like you'll find James"

"Never. If Kathy leaves me, then why should I go look for her? The only reason I live is to see Leo again, You know how much that kid has got me through? You don't have any idea. Everytime it gets to hard to think about doing something or I figure I can give up I remember why the hell I'm doing this. And you know what it is?" He grabbed a photo from a side table of Cards and Leo, Leo holding onto his mother's hand waving at the camera so that his hand was blurred. "Them. I don't want Leo growing up on the streets like me and Cards did" He said "So don't tell me Cards is miserable. She may not be overjoyed but none of us are."

Author's notes: Okay a little explanation as to why he said that and we're almost reaching the whole conclusion of this story. So how many people can guess why Cards and Spot have marriage troubles? Ohh there are so many reasons as illustrated in this chapter. Review! Please!


	6. Chapter 6

The door was half open as Spot ran down the street.

"Kathy!" He yelled pushing it fully open a vase was broken on the opposite end of the hall. He ran up stairs looking into Leo's room "Leo!" He gulped, seeing a note on the boy's bed.

He read it quickly. "Won't hurt them. Meet me on the pier, by the bridge tonight or they won't make it."

Sean swore. This person didn't know what the fuck they were dealing with. Spot took great pride in that he wasn't ruthless. He knew what hurting someone could do, the chain reaction that was put into affect. He knew that the men he may kill had children who they loved just like him. He knew that they had wives or girls they wanted to marry. And this stopped him from killing indiscriminately.

Who ever this person was, was dead. He walked into his and Cards' empty bedroom grabbing all the guns he could. Loading them all, anyone who crossed his path that night, until his son was in his arms, safe, was dead.

The pier was a short walk. He knew which one the person meant. The one he had had mock dominance over when he was 14. He stood.

Cards saw him before Leo, she had another black eye and a cut across her face just over the scar that he knew was there from the first time she got roughed up.

The two of them ran Brooklyn for a few reasons, one was they understood each other. Without words a gun was tossed to her and before their captor could notice the gun was at the top of his spine and a bullet through his Adam's apple.

Leo was so terrified he hardly noticed. Cards' cocked the gun again turning around.

The other man stood, and Spot could see it was Blink.

Blink's eye patch was gone and the mottled mess of skin under it was showing, he looked underweight and hollow, his lips were dry and cracked. His good eye looked dead. The ragged clothing he wore hung off his frame.

"What the hell!" Spot yelled charging forward.

"They got him on Opium" Cards said softly looking over at her husband. "He needs help"

"He sold us out." Spot said "We gotta move again we gotta change everything."

Cards looked down at Leo, who had cried so hard when everything had happened. "You didn't see him when they threatened Leo." She whispered.

"What?"

"They held a gun to his head." Cards whispered looking down.

"I tried to stop them" Blink said softly. "God Spot just kill me" He begged dropping to his knees "Take Leo away and shoot me"

Cards glanced at her husband, and though her eyes were a deeper blue, normally conveying the care in her eyes for him and hurt at times. Her face was set "Take Leo" She said softly, her voice hard, unwavering.

"C'mere" Spot said as he nodded walking and picking up his still crying son. When he was a child his father had belted him if he cried. But Spot knew what a dockworker didn't. That crying released too much to be kept in. Unlike his father he in the oddest way recognized his emotions and allowed his son to do so. His father would probably attribute it to too much time spent with women not fucking them. And when Spot reflected on that he found it to be true. Magic and Cards had both been huge parts of his life, and he valued both of them as people not just bodies.

In the end that was why he hadn't killed Blink as he'd been begged to. Cards told him in not so many words not to.

Cards looked over at Blink. "How long?" Was all she asked looking up at him.

"Years" He whispered "Since Mush got rich." He gulped.

"Why?"

"Do you know what its like to be mediocre? To look around and see everyone succeed around you and know, that when it all comes down to it you aren't special."

"I'm married to Spot" She laughed "He loves our son more then me, and he still sees me as we were when we were kids." She smiled.

He nodded "Yeah" He gulped back a cough "and when Mush came home, saying he made a movie deal. I couldn't stay. I couldn't love him and then have him realize all of a sudden that I wasn't special."

Cards nodded leaning against a pile of crates.

"How do you do it Katherine?" He gulped looking over at her.

"Day by day" She laughed sadly "One step at a time when he can see me. Pretending it doesn't hurt. Pretending I don't feel guilt every time I see what he could have done"

"If what?" Blink asked.

"If he wasn't saddled with Leo and me. Yes I know that he loves him. But..." She sighed looking away.

"But he could have been more if you hadn't gotten beaten up that day" Blink nodded.

Cards turned to Blink. "Come live with us" She said softly looking at him.

"I dun wanna intrude"

"Look, Mush is worried about you. Spot wants you dead and I get it." She said. "We take care of our friends."

"I sold you out" He gulped "Spot's right, I sold you out, Leo could have died."

"You seem to think very little of me if you think I would have let that happen" Cards said softly, her eyes glancing at the dead body of the man who had tried to ransom her.

Blink looked down.

"Cards I can't."

"Blink you don't have a choice" She said. "I'm hiring you as a cleaner" Blink looked up at her.

"Its not charity, I need the help, and I need to make sure you don't fuck up again."

Author's notes: So this was a little more I dunno hard hitting or something then the others, I think the next one will be the last in this little clump of stories. Also in regards to everyone. Please, Spot is a good guy they aren't perfect together, in fact they both have people who if they got together with then they'd be better off. Also in this chapter I wanted to show a little more about Cards not the mother or wife but a very strong women who holds her own in the mob world. I'm extremely flattered and glad that people like Cards as a character, I always think its really egomaniac of me to write an OC and expect people to like them. But so Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

Spot was right, they'd had to move all over again. Leo was still terrified, and Spot had slept in his son's new room for weeks after. Katherine had started carrying a gun again.

Blink had spent a week locked up in a room to rid his body of the opium, it had been in their old apartment, so Leo wouldn't hear. Cards had been the person taking care of him. The introduction of Blink as a live in helper had caused another rift in Katherine and Sean's marriage. Sean had wanted to take James out and shoot him, he didn't want anyone to think that betraying his family was a safe thing to do. Katherine had been firm, she wasn't budging on this. James was a friend. One who needed help, and she wasn't going to turn away from him.

Leo never knew about any of this. Katherine and Sean's arguments had been almost silent as they hissed at each other, standing in the door way of the kitchen.

"He just needs help"

"He could have gotten Leo Killed. How can you even think to forgive that!"

"He was drugged!"

"His own choice!"

"You just don't understand!"

"I still don't know what there is to understand!"

Katherine turned to him, moving to start making dinner. "He's in a hard place." She said, a finality like when she told Leo to eat his Vegetables. "He's off the opium, don't let Leo know."

James moved into the spare room the next day, still looking tiered, but his skin wasn't as pale and he wasn't shaking anymore. Leo ran up, hugging his legs. "Uncle Blink!" He grinned. James sighed, relieved that Leo wasn't holding a grudge against him, even though his father so obviously was. Sean hadn't spoken to him, or even looked at him since he'd walked in.

Sean was standing at his and Katherine's bedroom door, glaring at James as he carefully picked up Leo. "Sean" James started as Leo experimentally tugged at his eye patch. "Leo stop" he said patiently.

"Why do you wear that?"

"My dad hit me once, hurt my eye really bad" He said softly turning to the little boy he was holding. "Can't see out of it, so I wear this."

"Are you really staying with us?" Leo asked.

"Yeah." James smiled. "I am, your mom needs some help."

Sean coughed snorting slightly as Katherine gently took his arm. Pulling him into their bedroom. "I do need the help."

"We could have hired someone else. Anyone else! Someone who hasn't betrayed us."

"Leo loves his uncles." Katherine said softly. "I wouldn't want to put him with a perfect stranger who he might not like."

"What if he does something stupid again."

"I'll put a bullet into his head and thats if he's lucky." Cards said, her voice strong and angry at even the possibility. "Look, he's got a hard life. He's second string to Mush. His whole life."

"So?"

"People do dumb shit when they aren't adequate." SHe said looking away.

"Why did you suddenly need all this help?"

"We moved into a house as opposed to an apartment! I can't clean it all."

Sean looked over her. Not sure what to say as he nodded. "But him?"

"I've told you a million times. He needed help, we don't turn away friends who need help."

a knock was heard on their door. "Are you and daddy fighting again?"

"No Leo" Spot said opening the door, seeing James standing behind him. "We aren't fighting."

"Sounds like it" Leo said skeptically. "You and mommy fight a lot."

"Mommy's just tired" Cards said leaning down and kissing Leo on the forehead. "You know that"

Leo nodded "Can I go to the park with Uncle Blink?"

"I'll come with you" Spot said hurriedly. James nodded, expecting and glad for the fact that at them moment, because he didn't really trust himself at that time. His cravings were to strong and his shame at what he had done had made him more then once want to end it all. He couldn't be alone at that moment. He knew it.

Cards watched them go. Gulping back tears as she rested her hand on her stomach. She wiped the tears away as she turned to start dinner and clean. Walking around the house quiet as a ghost.


	8. Chapter 8

Sean and Katherine were in one of their few no hold barred fights. The two of them rarely fought like this. It was so bad, that James had picked Leo up and brought him to the park. That intervention came about three minutes before Katherine threw the first plate.

It shattered, she hadn't thrown it at Sean, or even in his direction. Neither Katherine or Sean had any stock in physical violence and both knew the disasters that could come of it. So instead when the anger got to much either one of them would throw crockery at the opposite wall of their spouse.

Katherine always lost it first. First it would be the cold tone of voice. This was always instigated by Sean asking a ridiculous question he already knew the answer to. Though to be fair, he only asked the question because Katherine was so snippy to him otherwise.

"Are you fucking James?"

"No, I am not sleeping with James."

"You sure? You seem pretty insistent he stay with us. Even though he, whoops, nearly got our son killed."

Sean would follow the cold tone with anger lacing a sarcastic statement, which only brought out one of two things. A reference to Magic or tears.

"You're one to talk. For all I know you've been fucking Magic or another one of those whores."

"What the fuck do you have against Adrinana?"

Then Katherine would be quiet, glaring at him.

"You never couldn't sleep with her." She would accuse quietly.

"Maybe its because she actually wasn't afraid of touching me." Sean would blunder, this had actually only been introduced the year before, when he had been having difficultly getting in bed with his wife, and he still didn't know why.

"Go fuck yourself!" Katherine would yell, and the first piece of crockery had been thrown to punctuate it.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem. Husband dearest it seems as though you're the one with the problem."

"Every year!" Sean screamed throwing a cup behind him.

"Try every night!" Katherine said, starting to cry,

"Why do you do this?"

Katherine grabbed a plate, about to hurl it.

"Why don't you love me?" She asked instead, the anger deflating out of her, hugging the plate to her as she dropped to her knees.

"What?" Spot asked, his anger gone as he moved over next to her.

"You don't love me. You never did" She whispered, looking up at her husband.

"That's not true."

"You won't in a few seconds" She said, "If you even do now."

"Why don't you think I love you?"

"I had an abortion." Cards looked up at Spot, who was frozen in shock. He looked at her, not understanding what she said.

"What?"

"Before Leo was conceived."

"Was there even a chance it wasn't mine" Spot asked, gulping as he looked at her. He was grasping for straws, for anything to forgive her for it.

"We'd been together three months, not a chance."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have married you then."

She shook her head "I was seventeen Sean." She whispered. "And I wanted you to marry me because you wanted to so badly you couldn't imagine not waking up to see me every day. Not because you felt you had to for some reason or another."

"Have you had once since?" He asked looking up at her. His face broken.

"No." She whispered, gripping the plate tighter.

"Why didn't you when you found out about Leo?" He gulped, closing his eyes. For a second imagining life without his son and he found it hard to forgive his wife.

"Adriana wouldn't help me." She said. "She helped me the first time, thought I'd been cheating on you and didn't want to run the risk."

"You knew the only thing I wanted was a family." Sean said,

"I didn't." Cards whispered. "I'm happy now yes. But its still hard and I wonder if we did the right thing marrying for Leo."

"Of course we did."

"But you don't love me" Cards repeated. "You never have, you may need me, but you don't love me."

"Kathy, that isn't true." He whispered, reaching out and touching her face lightly. "You and Leo are the only things that matter in my life. Of course I love you."

"Then why can't you sleep with me at times?" She asked gulping. "I've never been a sexual person with you I know that. But we managed, and we had some fun." She said. "So what happened?"

"I don't know" He said, looking at her, sinking down and kneeling before her. "I don't."

"Can you ever forgive me?"

"I don't have much choice." He whispered.

"Would have been almost four today," She gulped.

"That why you always get so temperamental?"

"Yeah" She nodded.

Sean stood up, reaching down and picking her up. Katherine reached her arms around his neck, kissing him softly.

"I do love you Kathy" He said "Believe it."

Katherine nodded. "Love you too" She whispered. "I'm pregnant by the way"

Disclaimer: I own Cards/Katherine and Leo Disney owns the rest

Author's notes. Its done. If there is demand I will write the next chapter type thing in this saga, or if preferred go back and write some of the stuff between "Not Like That" and "What Makes Her Cry". Also, for those who didn't get it. The reason why Spot and Cards have a kind of shaky marriage is because they only got married because Cards was pregnant when she was 18. So, I also explained why there is a certain amount of tension in their lives, This chapter they also got their feelings out. And yes. Cards has been expecting since the night described in chapter one, so she's about 4/5 months pregnant now, which is why she was so insistent on keeping Blink because she knew they would need the extra help.


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